Several hundred people were inspired by the message of Father Oscar Pratt during the annual three-day Lenten Revival presented by the diocesan Office of Black Catholic Ministries. St. Adalbert Church in Cleveland hosted this year’s event. The diocesan Gospel Choir and praise dancers were part of the event.
The revival began on Ash Wednesday, Feb. 14, with Mass celebrated by Bishop Edward Malesic. Father Pratt, a priest of the Archdiocese of Boston, was among the concelebrants, as were Father James Watson, OFM Cap, St. Agnes/Our Lady of Fatima Parish pastor; Father David Domanski, OFM Cap, administrator of Holy Spirit Parish in Garfield Heights; and Father Gary Chmura, pastor of St. Adalbert and Our Lady of Peace parishes, both in Cleveland.
Father Pratt visited the diocese previously, most recently last July when he delivered the homily at the second of the four Eucharistic Revival ballpark Masses. As was the case with three of the liturgies, stormy weather forced the Mass indoors. It relocated from Cleveland’s historic League Park to St. Agnes/Our Lady of Fatima Church, which is across the street.
Father Pratt, a popular speaker, captivated the congregation at the ballpark liturgy and did the same at the Lenten Revival.
(See photo gallery above.)
“Turn away from sin and turn to the good news – the story of your salvation,” he told the faithful. “Turn away from suffering. We are made to be the children of our God. This is not a gloomy time. We are not called to be gloomy … God wants us whole to share the good news that we have turned away from sin and turned to our good and loving God.”
He said God is looking for conversion, but that means more than just our own.
“We together to represent what we believe, the one who has saved us so we, like the Risen Christ, will be born again.”
Father Pratt read a portion of Emma Lazarus’ famous poem, “The New Colossus,” which was written in 1883 about the plight of the immigrants who were flooding into the country in the late 19th century at Ellis Island in New York. Lazarus, an American Jew, was an advocate for the Jewish immigrants, especially those fleeing from persecution in Russia. Her message resonated with the immigrants as well as with us, Father Pratt noted.
“Give me your tired, your poor, your huddled masses yearning to breathe free, the wretched refuse of your teeming shore. Send these, the homeless, tempest-tost to me, I lift my lamp beside the golden door,” Lazarus wrote. These lines from her sonnet later were inscribed on a plaque attached to the Statue of Liberty.
“We lift our lamp to the tempest-tost,” Father Pratt said. “Turn away from sin and be faithful. Turn to God and find a home here. We have faith. We have room. We have everything we need because we have God. Turn away and turn to God.”
The act of turning away from something means we turn to something else, Father Pratt said, repeating his plea that we turn away from sin and turn toward God.
“Do not forget where we come from. This is not ancient history. It is not over,” he said, challenging the congregation to “turn away from sin and to be faithful to the Risen Lord. When I come into his presence, I am so happy,” he said, reminding the faithful, “It is up to us to spread the Gospel.”
Bishop Malesic listened to Father Pratt’s message and said he also was inspired.
“There was a great witness of faith at the Revival sponsored by our Office of Black Catholic Ministries,” he said.
A musician and music lover, the bishop also praised the diocesan Gospel Choir. “They were outstanding. The people in the parish church were spirited. And I was uplifted,” the bishop added.
Sister Jane Nesmith, SBS, who heads the Office of Black Catholic Ministries, estimated more than 300 people attended the opening liturgy and about 200 people were at the other two nights of the revival.
She said the office is busy planning for additional events this year, including a 10-day pilgrimage to Tanzania (Africa) in May and the second annual diocesan Juneteenth celebration, which will take place at Glenview Park in Cleveland with Mass and a community picnic. More details to come.
Sister Nesmith said her office is ready to assist anyone with resources and information. Click here to contact the office.
The Office of Black Catholic Ministries, which is under the Parish Life and Special Ministries Office, seeks to carry out advocacy for the concerns and needs of Black Catholics. It strives to fulfill this mission by providing staff support to the Diocesan Race Relations Committee, Diocesan Gospel Choir, Diocesan African Catholic community and to the diocesan Catholic schools and institutions that serve the greater African American community – both Catholic and non-Catholic. It communicates with various offices locally and nationally in support of issues relating to Black Catholic Ministries, serves in an advisory capacity to the bishop and his staff for matters of concern to African Americans and collaborates with the civic community on issues addressing the Black community.